The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus and a process of using that apparatus in a manufacturing process, and more particularly, to a lifter cup used in a lifting assembly for lifting parts used in assembling a vehicle.
Lifting assemblies are utilized in many manufacturing processes, including automotive stamping machines, die presses, and the like, to lift, feed, and move objects made of a ferrous material from one operational area of an assembly line to another.
Current components used for lifting and moving objects include using rubber lifting cups and shaped lifters. However, these components are not capable of meeting the high volume and durability challenges of today's automotive stamping industry. For example, the shaped lifters are expensive to use because different shapes require differently shaped lifters. Rubber lifting cups are relatively inexpensive and most commonly used in lifting assemblies. However, a common problem with the known lifter cups designed for the automotive industry is the high failure rate due to wear of the cups. Particularly challenging for handling using lifter cups are objects with curved or irregularly-shaped surfaces that complicate lifting. Further, oil, dust, dirt, and other debris can interfere with stable operation using lifter cups. All of these challenges affect the flow of the production automation.
Accordingly, to solve one or more of these problems, it would be beneficial to provide, with minimal cost, a simple and efficient, but durable lifter cup capable of securely handling objects of varying shapes and sizes.